Fastening device for account or sales books.



No. 705,4;2. Patented July 22, 1902.

L. A. KEITH.

FASTENING DEVICE FOR ACCOUNT 0R SALES BOOKS.

(Application filed Mar. 13, 1901.

' 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

No. 705,412. Patented July 22, I902.

' L. A. KEITH.

FASTENING DEVICE FOR ACCOUNT DR SALESBOOKS. (Application filed Mar. 13, 1901.1

(No Model.) 2 Shee-ts-Sheet 2.

Wiigzsszs lufzh 193213121- UNITED STATES 1 PATENT OFFICE.

LORIN A. KEITH, OF MANSFIELD, OHIO.

FASTENING DEVICE FOR ACCOUNT OR SALES BOOKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 705,412, dated July 22, 1902. Applicatidnifiled March 13,1901. Serial No. 50,978. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be'it known that I, LORIN A. KEITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mansfield, in the county of Richland and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Fastening Device for Account or Sales Books, of which the following is aspecification.

. This invention relates to fastening devices for the different portions of account or sales books, and particularly that class having a duplicating o'r manifolding construction and commonly employed in various forms by salesmen and clerks in stores and other places, and the intent and purpose of the same is to provide simple and effective means for bolding pads or terminals of continuous leaves or other analogous devices in suitable covers or backs, so that they'can be easily removed when desired to replace the same by other similar parts and continue the use of a single or individual cover or back for a greater length of time with materially less expense in the use of account or sales books and with the advantage of convenience afforded by the fastening;

The invention consists in the construction and arrangement of the several parts, which will be more fully hereinafter described and claimed, including direct and modified forms, which are subject to further change in the form, size, proportions, and minor details without departing "from the principle of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a "duplicating-book em-' bodying two pads fastened at reverse extremities by the improved'devices and adapted for combined use. 2isa detail perspective view of one of the fastening devices shown applied in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective viewof theother fastening device shown by Fig. 1. view of one corner portion of the pad and cover shown by Fig. 1, embodying the same general fastening means andshowing a slight modification in the manner of securing the latter to the back or cover. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a portion of a sales or account book having continuous leaves and shown open, with a further modified form of the improved fastening device applied thereto. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective View of the Fig. 4is aperspective fastening device shown applied in Fig. 5 and illustrated as open. Fig. 7 is an enlarged section on the line 7 7, Fig. 5. Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view of a portion of the fastening device shown by Fig. 3,showing a the back or cover and also composed of a plurality of leaves, which are normally located under the leaves of the pad 2 and adapted to be individually placed in overlapped arrangement relatively to the leaves of said latter pad and by means of an interposed manifolding-strip of a suitable nature receive a duplicate impression of,the matter written on the leaves of the pad 2, so thatone leaf may be retained by the merchant or dealer and the other given to the purchaser to identify the articles purchased and the amount of cash pertaining to each. It is obvious that this arrangement of the leaves may be reversed, or so that the leaves of the pad 3 will overlap those of the pad 2, both arrangements bei'ngwell known in the art of duplicating sales-books.

The invention pertains to the means for fastening the pads to the cover", and, as shown by Fig. 2, the one fastening device comprises a lower plate 4:, of suitable sheet or other metal,-over which is doubled an upper plate 5 in close-relation to the lower plate, the latter plate having depending spurs '6, which are inserted through the back orcover and bent over against the outer surface ofthe latter to hold the plates in firm removable engagement withthe said back or'cover. From the outer bend between the two plates and on opposite sides of the center catch-tongues 7 are bent outwardly in horizontal planes, and the ends of the lower plate 4 are rolled to form pivot bearings 8. The ends of the upper plate 5 are formed with upwardly-extending retaining-flanges 9 to prevent the pad end having engagement therewith from slipping laterally in the event that it became accidentally loosened and also to assist in accurately and conveniently applying the said engaged pad end to the direct fastening means therefor. The outer end of the pad 2 is held on the top plate 5 by studs 10, projecting upwardly from opposite extremities of the latter plate, the said studs being passed through openings in the said pad end. In the pivotbearings 8 of the lower plate 4: the angularlybent ends 11 of holders 12 are movably mounted, so that said holders can be turned inwardly and outwardly over and from the attached end of the pad 2 and form locks for preventing the said pad end from becoming accidentally detached from the studs 10. The holders are preferably constructed of resilient wire of suitable gage and comprise looped bodies 13 of elongated form, which are disposed vertically when in locked position and have their lower bars in engagement with the catch-tongues 7. The upper bars of the bodies have outer rebent bearing extremities 14, which extend inwardly in planes flush with those of the upper bars of the said bodies and have outward-deflected terminals 15, extending toward the fastened end of the pad 2 to lie adjacent to the upper ends of the studs, and thereby hold the outer ends of the leaves of the said pad in close relation to the said studs. hen the holders are turned inwardly over the outer end of the pad 2, as shown at the left of Fig. 1, the upper and lower bars of the bodies 13 fit in close to the adjacent pad end, and the lower bars are caught under the catch-tongues. In releasing the said holders the inner ends are sprung outwardly to clear the lower bars of the bodies from the catch-tongues, and when said lower bars are clear the holders can be outturned very easily and a pad that has been used can be readily replaced by another and secured against accidental detachment.

The fastening means for securing the inner end of the pad 3 is somewhat similar to that just described and embodies a single plate 16, having rolled ends to provide pivot-bearings 17, similar to the bearings 8, and said plate also has dependingspurs forinsertion through the back or cover similar to and bearing the same numerals as those heretofore described. The outer edge of the plate 16 is formed with an upstanding limiting-flange 19 to prevent the pad end from being pushed thereover, and on opposite sides of the center the said flange has horizontally-disposed outstruck catch-tongues 20, forming parts thereof. In the pivot-bearings 17 the angularly-bent extremities 21 of holders 22 are movably mounted and are adapted to have their lower bars removably engage the catch-tongues 20 in the same manner and for the same purpose as the lower bars of the holders 12, heretofore described. The upper bars 23 of the holders 22 contact with the opposite portions of the pad end in this instance and are formed with straight bearing portions 24 to press flat against the pad end, the said upper bars also having outwardly-curved terminals 25 to provide firm end contacts with the pad. The said upper. bars 23 are bent inwardly, so as to engage the pad end,and in releasing and looking the same the operation heretofore described is pursued. This second fastening means is a simpler form of that first described, and it will be seen that the same general principle is involved as in the first form.

The modified form of the device shown by Fig. 4 is in all respects like that shown at the outer end of the pad illustrated by Figs. 1 and 2 except that the spurs for securing the lower plate and the entire device are dispensed with, and instead of the same end clips 26 are used, thus disclosing another simple mode of applying the fastening to the back or cover.

The modified forms of fastening shown by Figs. 5, 6, and 7 also embody in the main the same principle of the fastenings heretofore described. The bottom or lower plate 27 is without spurs or clips, but has end bearings 28, formed by rolling the ends to movably receive the angular ends 29 of holders 30, which are like the holders 12, heretofore described, with the exception that the outer ends of the upper bars are bent or turned inwardly at substantially right angles, as at 31, and have eye-terminals The outer edge of the lower plate 27 is formed with a series of upstanding knuckles 33, which are pivotally interlocked with a series of knuckles 34 at the lower outer edge of an upper angular plate 35. On the vertical portion 36 of the latter plate are outstanding catch-tongues 37, similar to those heretofore described and adapted for engagement with the lower bars of the holders, as shown by Fig. 5, and on the horizontal portion or member 38 of the said plate 35, near the ends, are longitudinally-extending stud projections or lugs 39, against which the eye-terminals 32 of the upper bars of the holders 30 contact, the said eye-terminals being in this manner prevented from moving out of place after they are turned down on the member 38 of the plate 35, the said holders retaining the member 38 closed until they are released from the tongues 37. The opposite ends of the member 38 are bent or deflected downwardly at an angle, as at 39, to bear firmly against the ends of the leaves or pad to hold the 'samein place as desired.

In opening the form of the device shown by Figs. 5, (5, and 7 the holders are first released, as in the previously-described forms, and the angular plate 35 is thrown back, as shown by Fig. 6. In applying this form of the improved device the reverse operation is carried out and the angular plate is first closed and the holders then secured, as shown by Fig. 5. This form of the device is intended to be applied to that form of sales or account book having continuous leaves which are bendable and separable at the center and inclosed by a flexible cover, and said form of improved device is applied over the end of the leaves and cover, as shown.

The last-described form of the improved fastening can be easily applied and removed by reason of there being no securing devices for insertion through the back or cover or withdrawal from the latter, and therefore this form of the device will be found exceptionally convenient for useon sales-books having continuous-bound leaves, as shown, though it is equally well applicable to any form of book back or cover having pads therein. The several forms of fastening shown are intended to have a general application and to be used on all kinds of books with which they are adapted to operate.

In the. forms of the fasteningv using the studs and other projections to be engaged by the terminal portions of the holders such devices prevent the terminals of the holders and the holders as an entirety from being brushed or pushed over the ends of the books, andbreakage or distortion of the holders is thus prevented. The holders that are shown at the any time without replacing the entire pad.

Frequently the carbon will fail to make a good copy with the pad only half used, and ordinarily it would be necessary to replace the pad. The pad 2 (shown by Fig. 1) will have .the leavesprovided with tearing or separatinglines near one end, preferably theattached end, and also formed with holes punched near either side between the separating-line and edge and sufficiently near to the said edge .as to allow practicalv engagement of .the terminals of the holders with the pad to perform their function. r The carbon or manifolding leaf will also be punctured for application to the studs, and in some instances the carbon-leaf and pad-leaves may be secured by Wire staples, or the end edges may be brushed with glue or the like.

A stiff manila back or cover can be used in some instances with advantage, particularly in the form of the device shown by Fig. 5. As heretofore indicated in several instances, the form of the leaves and whether they be in pad arrangement or not is only a matter of incidental convenience and choice, as it is proposed to employall arrangements, the essential feature of v the invention being the utilization of the fastening means set forth in several diiferent forms and all embodying the same principle of the holders.

Another important feature of the invention is the arrangement of the pad 2 and the carbon or manifolding sheet 40. The said pad has loose leaves which are secured to each taching the latter.

other at one end to form a head 2, from which they are readily detachable by the formation of suitable separating-lines or perforations or the like, which is a well-known structure in pad formation and in'the stationers art. The said head 2 has perforations therein to removably receive the studs or posts 10, and the sheet40 is likewise perforated 'for the passage therethrough of the said studs or posts, so that the said sheet is held in fixed relation to the pad at one end and freely movable throughoutthe remaining portion of its length. Each leaf of the pad 2 is detached after receiving the impression from the corresponding leaf of the pad 3, placed thereover through the medium of the interposed manifolding-sheet 40 without de- The holders 12 maintain the pad 2 and sheet 40 in proper connected relation to the back and conjunctively cooperate with the studs or posts 10 with this result in View. The pressure of the holders on the head of the pad at opposite sides through the medium of the bearing extremities 14 will be about on the separating-lines or perforations of the leaves of the pad 2, and consequently the said latter leaves may be readily separated when used without irregular tearing orwithout annoyance or delay.

In Fig. 8 a modification of the constructionis claimed as new is- 1. The combination with a sales or account book, of a pair of holders having their outer terminals pivotedin lines parallel with the sides of the back portion of the said book and transversely foldable inwardly over the book and outwardly'from the latter.

2. The combination with a sales oraccount book, of a pair of movably-mounted holders having their outer terminals-pivoted in lines parallel with the side edges of the back portion of the book and transversely foldable inwardly over and outwardly from said book to terminally engage the leaves of the latter, the inner free terminals of the holders having direct contact with the leaves and provided with extremities of loop form.

3. The'combination with a sales or account book, of a pair of holders each pivotally connected with the book at its outer extremity and both transversely foldable inwardly, over and outwardly from the face of the book in arcs of circles which aredescribed in planes at right angles to the said face of the book and provided with bearing-terminals to bear on a portion of the book.

at. The combination with a sales or account book, of a plate removably applied to one end of the book, and resilient holders pivotally of the book, whereby they are adapted to swing transversely thereof, said holders being detachably interlocked with the plate at points between their ends, substantially as described.

5. The combination with a sales or account book, of a supporting device removably applied to one end thereof and independent of the back portion of the book, and resilient holders movable inwardly over and outwardly from the book in arcs of circles at an angle to the latter, the outer terminals of the holders being pivoted to the said device, whereby the device and holders may be simultaneously applied to and removed from the book.

6. The combination with a sales or account book, of a supporting device removably applied to the back portion of the book at one end and provided with outwardly-extending projections, and resilient holders movably attached at their outer terminals to the said supporting device and adapted to have their inner free terminals removably engage the said projections.

7. The combination with a sales or account book, of a pair of loop resilient wire-holders having their outer terminals pivoted adjacent to the side edges and their free portions movable inwardly over and outwardly from the face of the book in arcs of circles at an angle to the latter.

8. The combination with a sales or account book, of a pair of resilient wire-holders which are looped and have their outer terminals pivot-allyconnected adjacent to the side edges of the book and the opposite terminals bent to provide extended bearing means, the said holders being movable inwardly toward and outwardly from the face of the book in arcs of circles at an angle to the latter.

9. The combination with a sales or account book, of supporting means removably applied to the back portion thereof and having projecting tongues at the center, and a pair of yielding holders having their outer terminals pivoted to the said means adjacent to side edges of the book and comprising resilient loops to lock over the said tongues, the terminals of the holders opposite to those forming the pivot means being arranged to clamp the leaves of the book.

10. The combination with a supportingback or analogous device, of a pad composed of separable leaves, a inanifolding-sheet, the ends of the pad and one end of said sheet being formed with opposite perforations therethrough, studs or posts held by the back or analogous device and with which the perforated portions of the leaves and sheet engage, and a pair of holders having their outer terminals pivoted in a plane parallel with the longitudinal plane of the back or analogous device and transversely foldable inwardly toward and outwardly from the sheet and leaves in arcs of circles at an angle to the plane of the latter.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto ailixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

LORIN A. KEITH.

\Vitnesses:

CHAS. E. BENEDICT, LEWIS MCCRAY. 

